Best Skills And Habits To Have As A Student
Back to school season is here which is why I have dedicated the month of October to exactly that: Helping you settle back in into a functional and enjoyable school routine and making sure that you both learn the most in this period and also make a lot of memories and fun of course.
As part of this larger theme, we will first begin today with exploring what are some of the best general skills and habits which students can have in empowering their academic lives as much as their personal lives and priorities because both are important.
For ease of understanding, I have divided these skills and habits into 5 separate categories, namely habits and skills benefiting you studies, your health, your finances a as student, your social life as well as your personal growth, which we cant neglect.
As a student myself, I hope that you are able to pull out something useful from todays topic and that as a student it is able to help you out during your years of studies
My intention today: Provide you with a practical and useful breakdown of the best skills and habits which you can work on building as a student to help you both in your studies and person life.
THE BEST SKILLS AND HABITS
CATEGORY 1: STUDIES
Following a revision plan
One way to make your revision as efficient as possible is to make a plan for how you aim to approach your studies, namely what you will be revising when, and for how long. This ensures that you have adequate time to cover all content and that you will be well prepared for when the exam comes around. Additionally, I would really recommend making an effort to revise even just a little bit every day because effort really does build up to results. It doesn't have to be a lot, but even just making an effort of 10–20 minutes of revising a topic you have previously covered can have a massive boost in your memory and retention of that knowledge which doesn't only help with preparing you for exams but helps you remember something for the rest of your life, not just school.
Revising with active recall
Active recall is the process or study method by which you actively test yourself on a piece of material by trying to remember and recall what the answer or solution to a certain question was. This is much more effective than just rereading a set of notes or highlighting because, in those instances, your brain isn't very actively involved in trying to remember information. So instead, approach your learning as a set of quiz questions to enhance your studies with.
Efficient note-taking
Often times the mistake we make while taking notes from class or reading materials is that we either simply write down too much or that we plainly copy and paste information which leaves us with barely remembering anything. Instead, try to first always inform yourself of what information will actually be tested and is absolutely crucial for you to know. Then for the actual note-taking, first reread a section of some literature and then extract the relevant parts and put it into your own words. It also helps to add in diagrams or visual representations since sometimes it is easier or more efficient to draw something than to explain it in words.
Fine-tune your focus
As a student when you have a lot going on in your life with different priorities and things asking for your time and energy, it is super important to be able to find periods of deep focus, especially when it comes to your studies. Identify in what kind of environment you work and focus best: is it a quiet room? A bustling coffee shop? Do you work best alone or study in groups? Is your best focus at night or is it in the morning? All of these things impact your ability to focus so play around a bit and see with what you are most productive.
Asking as many questions as possible
When you have the opportunity to ask something because you are curious about it or because there is something you don't understand about it, do it because you won't regret it. Maybe it will just be an interesting conversation with your professor but it might also open some other doors or opportunities you may previously didn't even foresee. Asking for help with something or admitting that maybe there is a topic you don't understand fully takes a lot of strength, but to be willing to step up and work on these weakness areas that you may have is one of the best skills to practice.
CATEGORY 2: HEALTH
Prioritizing good sleep
I know that sometimes, especially during your years spent as a student, it is hard to fit in consistent good quality sleep, but trying to make a regular effort of it can do wonders for your body and mind. Good sleep is absolutely essential for having proper energy the following day, in regulating your hormones, in helping your memory and also keeping your cardiovascular health in check among other things. I know that sometimes you just can't, sometimes you want to go out and party or stay up late with your friends which is totally understandable, but at least a couple days per week make an effort to sleep well.
Learning to cook
Learning to prepare some of your own meals as a student can both be very friendly towards your wallet but also towards your health since you have more control of what and how much you are eating. I know that it takes a bit more time and organization to fit in some cooking, but aim to have at least one meal prepared at home every day, whether it is a breakfast you enjoy in the morning or a satisfying and nutritious dinner you prepare later on in the day. Experiment with new recipes and ingredients, or try preparing a meal together with your friends to make it more fun.
Finding some sort of movement you enjoy
Keeping active is essential for our health but especially as a student, taking part in some form of exercise which you enjoy is both incredibly important for your health and well-being but also as a way of de-stressing and potentially socializing with your own friends or having some time for yourself. It doesn't matter what kind of movement you do, just let it be something you find enjoyable and that you can keep at least some level of consistency with.
Managing your stress levels
One of the best and vital skills that you practice as a student is to find ways of how to best deal with your stress, because there definitely will be periods of stress in your academic journey as well as later on in life. Some people de-stress through exercising as I mentioned above, some people do it by having a night out with their friends, or others do it by spending some time alone recharging or doing something they enjoy like doing something creative or reading. The choice is yours, the point is just that you find activities which relax you and that you can make use of them during any stressful periods.
Keeping your mental health in check
Sometimes throughout your studying journey, you will find moments that you struggle or that you need some support or assistance with something. In those moments it is crucial to be able to reach out to someone or some resource to be able to help yourself with what you are struggling with. Whether it is a conversation with a professor or a close friend on something that you don't understand or consulting with a parent or other resource for something that is worrying you. I acknowledge that it is not easy to ask for help about something but if it is costing you your happiness or other measures of wellbeing, then please do.
CATEGORY 3: PERSONAL GROWTH
Learning as much as you can
This applies especially while you are a student because it is literally your occupation to learn. However, the real goal is to actually never stop learning and to continuously approach life with the mindset of a student. Ask as many questions as interest you, educate yourself through books, videos, and podcasts, or attend lectures or class discussions. Pick up a new hobby or something you are interested in and you will see how much you will learn by doing something. Treat your ability to learn as a privilege and as something you get to do instead of it being something you have to do.
Keeping your hobbies around
Hobbies provide a great way to explore something else which you are interested in, to meet new people or as a method of de-stressing. There are many different kinds of hobbies, some active such as sports, some creative such as painting or drawing for example, or hobbies can even be something you enjoy from the activity itself such as reading or baking something sweet. Try to find some time every day or week to fit in some hobby or hobbies you enjoy and you will see how much more fulfillment you will add into your life.
Getting to know yourself
Your years spent as a student are some of the most vital and formative years of your life which will be a grounding for your life later on, such as what kind of career you want to pursue or what you enjoy doing with your time. So put some time aside each week to get to know yourself, namely, identifying what you value as a person, what your current priorities are, and what goals you are striving for are some great ways to start here.
Challenging yourself
Aim to challenge yourself every day or as frequently as possible because when you push yourself out of your comfort zone (even though it is hard or scary), is when you actually grow as a person and expand your limits of what you believe you are capable of doing. Identify what you spend most time doing each week or working on and for each of these activities, consider how you could challenge yourself to be 1% better by next week.
Cultivating a growth mindset
Without a doubt, there will be moments in our academic journey that we will feel discouraged, unmotivated or very judgmental of ourselves or feel that we are not enough, but the good news is that this can be overcome. A growth mindset is one which allows you to see your mistakes or setbacks as opportunities for you to learn and become better. Similarly, seeing other people succeed and win at something isn't an incentive for you to feel down about your own abilities or progress journey, but an opportunity for you to learn from them and have a person in your life by whom you are inspired. It is about a shift in perspective that enables you to overcome all sorts of personal obstacles you may be facing in a much more effective way.
CATEGORY 4: FINANCES
Budgeting and saving
Your years spent as a student are some of the best years to practice how to better handle and manage your money as well as for learning how to budget your expenses. Each month, depending on your income and average expenses, it's useful to determine budgets for how much you, for example, want to be spending on groceries, eating/drinking out, personal things, gifts, etc. This gives you a bit more peace of mind when it comes to your spending since you know how much you are able to spend instead of worrying whether you have gone over budget and then lost track of your spending.
Debt management
Some of us entering university do so by taking out a student loan which afterwards has to be paid back within a certain period of time. Depending on whether or not this applies to you, it is good for you to familiarize yourself with concepts such as interest rates applying to student loans for where you live and what are some methods now or later for how you could start making some money on the side to put towards repayment of these loans.
Smart spending
Nowadays there are many things in our environment that urge or invite us to spend our money alongside following trends and wanting to in general fit in with our friends or the world around us. To become smarter at spending your money, one way, as I discussed previously, is to learn about how to budget and save your money, but also to determine the reason why you want to buy what you want to buy. Is it because you are following a certain trend, because you want to fit in with your friends because you feel down or sad? Determine the reason and also consider whether you really need this item and will make good use out of it, instead of just impulsively buying whatever you like for no particular reason.
Financial literacy
The financial world around us is evolving every day, and with that, it is important to keep up with it. To begin with a better understanding of your finances and the financial institutions of this world, spend a little time each day or every week learning something new about this field. Perhaps check out a trustworthy website to explain to you how you can get a student credit card, educate yourself on student loans and scholarships, increase your knowledge of how to start investing your money when you are young, or even just learn new words when it comes to this domain. Every little piece of knowledge that you acquire can be of use here.
Investing
While it is true that the younger you start investing your money into some form of commodity, the larger your returns can be, it is also worthwhile to first consider how you will even approach such activity and to only experiment with as much money as you are also okay with potentially losing since there is always an element of risk involved here. This again comes to the element of learning and educating yourself on this topic before beginning, where nowadays you can find many videos or websites online to explain this to you or even diving into books, podcasts or webinars can be a great way of how to expand your understanding of this.
CATEGORY 5: SOCIAL
Making time for your friends
One of the best parts about your university experience or your time as a student in general, is the amount of opportunities you have to be able to make friends and meet new people, either through your academic institution, via any extracurricular activities you do or even just by going out and seeing who you meet. Having a close-knit group of friends or even just one close friend can have one of the biggest impacts on your well-being and happiness, so making an effort to introduce yourself to someone or to ask someone if they would like to do something together with you, can be one of the most worthwhile uses of your time.
Making time for your family
Of course the quality of time which you spend with your family can also not be underestimated, since they are usually the people who know you best and are there for you in times that you need support or someone to speak to. So in the case that you are studying somewhere away from you family, make an effort to keep in contact with them and to also make some time each month or year to spend time with them in person.
Keeping in touch with long-term friends
In my experience, especially when it comes to switching school environments or moving to a new country, there are of course moments for you to make new friends but it is also important to not neglect your past friends that you may have met in a previous stage of your life and if that friendship still resonates with you, to invest some time and energy into it. I am not saying that you have to keep in constant contact with everyone you meet, but with those people that you resonate with, staying in contact with them in the long term can be very worthwhile since you never know when your two paths might come together again in the future
Being a thoughtful friend
One of the qualities I admire most in friends and one which I also try to do a lot myself, is to be more of a thoughtful friend. For example when we try to surprise our friend for their birthday, when we make an effort to call or text them, or when we remember their favorite coffee order and get it for them. I really do believe that in the end, the accumulation of these small thoughtful actions can be extremely rewarding for ourselves and also for the person doing them, so it is a double sided win.
Finding moments to have fun and destress
Even though there most likely will be moments throughout your studies when you might be under pressure, nervous or stressed out about an exam, a project or a change in studying the location, it is key to be able to find moments in your day or week to de-stress yourself and to fit in moments for fun and leisure, however, those may look like to you. Oftentimes, we get so wrapped up in our own thoughts and heads that we make our problems appear bigger than they really are and end up spending so much energy stressing out about something that in the end wasn't that big of an issue after all but we just needed a change in our approach or mindset in it. So remember, to take things a little lighter and remember that no matter the situation, it will be okay and you will get through it.
20 Pieces Of Timeless Wisdom And Advice
Welcome to my 100th blog post !
My first blog post was written a little over a year ago, which is why I wanted to take the time to reflect on my writing journey and share some of the lessons I've learned along the way, along with timeless pieces of advice that can apply to any stage of our lives.
Thank you to everyone who has read my work up until now, and thank you for joining me on this journey of self-discovery and exploration.
I hope you enjoy this moment of reflection and find something valuable within it 😊.
TIMELESS LEARNING LESSONS
You Are In Charge Of Your Own Life Path
Remember that you are responsible for your own life path and your own well-being, and most importantly, you have the ability and control to influence these aspects and become the master of your destiny.
Many times, we get influenced by other people's ideas, thoughts, or actions, or even peer pressured into conforming to some set routine or shape. However, we must be resilient enough to live our own lives in a way that suits us and at a pace that works best for us. You are responsible for setting the goals for where you are headed, how you choose to get there, and the speed at which you progress, broken down into as many steps as necessary.
It's also important not to neglect the significance of your everyday thoughts on your future because what you generally think is what you attract and thus create within your reality of life.
Choose To Never Stop Learning
Many of us believe that once we exit the formal education system of schools or universities, there is no more proper learning. However, the truth is, we never stop learning.
Your journey of learning continues seamlessly, whether you are aware of it or not. It occurs in your daily epiphanies, personal thoughts, time spent at work, interactions with new people, traveling to new places, or picking up a new book, podcast, or hobby.
Learning experiences, knowledge, and wisdom are all around you; you just have to become aware of them. Most importantly, never stop learning because when you do, you cease to grow, and at that point, you stop truly living.
Rest But Don't Quit; Persistence And Consistency Are Key To Everything
There will be days when you'll want to quit and give up entirely, days when it becomes challenging to stick to the process, and the easiest option seems to be stepping away.
Instead, if you find yourself feeling this way, take a moment to rest and recharge, then get back on track. Because once you persist and achieve whatever you were pursuing, all the hard work and effort you put into the process become worthwhile.
They say that you never really lose until you stop trying, so it's not a problem if you occasionally stumble and falter; what truly matters is that you get up and continue striving to be and do your best. The act of choosing to persist even when it's tough is what defines you and grants you boundless inner strength and resilience to keep moving forward.
You Will Never Regret Being Kind To Yourself
It's often very easy for us to be hard on ourselves and be overly judgmental or unaccepting, which can lead to low self-esteem, depressive thoughts, or a general mindset of dissatisfaction with ourselves and our performance.
Realize that you are human, and we all have days that go great and others that are less so. It's impossible to perform at your absolute best every single day. Understand that it's okay to take it slower on some days to recharge or reflect before you can get back on track. Recognize that we all make mistakes, and these errors don't define your self-worth; they are merely evidence that you are out there trying and learning new things.
As difficult as it may be at times, practice self-acceptance and be at peace with who you truly are because that authentic version of you is the most beautiful one 😊
Prioritize Your Health Early On
I have written about many health-related topics on this platform not only because it is a subject I am passionate about but also because your health is truly vital. It is your number one resource and possession that you should absolutely take care of. The sooner you begin taking proper care of your mental, physical, and emotional health, the better.
Some essential things to consider when aiming to improve your health include: What kinds of foods do you eat, and how do they make you feel? Are you sleeping and resting well? Do you aim to incorporate some form of physical activity into your daily routine? Do you find that you are consistently stressed, and if so, how can you find more time to truly relax, unplug, and manage your stress better?
Additionally, make sure to schedule regular doctor visits for check-ups and visits to the dentist to take care of your dental hygiene.
To read more about the fundamentals of our health, click here
Listen To Your Intuition
All of us have this innate voice inside of ourselves, which usually unconsciously guides our decision-making and whether something feels "right" to us or not. Sometimes, we may experience that we have fallen out of tune with that inner voice or that we simply don't hear or recognize it. To help with this, read this blog post I have written on the topic.
Your intuition is there for a reason, so honor it. Learn to truly listen to your body and take this inner voice into consideration for your daily decision-making.
Get More By Giving Even More
I like to believe that the more you give to someone, whether it's time, energy, money, trust, specific resources, or attention, all of that will be reciprocated at some point in the future. It may not return in the same form as when you gave it, and it might not come from the same person you initially gave to.
Giving and serving others is rooted in general compassion and understanding, which, like a boomerang, is always returned to you in some way or another. So, whenever possible, give and share as much as you can.
The Relationship You Have With Yourself Is The Most Important Relationship
Although this is often an underestimated aspect, the self-talk you have with yourself and how you generally act and behave towards yourself are crucial for overall self-esteem, mood enhancement, and stress management. You must learn to support yourself even when no one else is there to do so.
Because of this, it's essential to ensure that you treat and speak to yourself as you would talk and treat a good friend of yours. Learn to collaborate with yourself rather than working against yourself, as you should not be your own biggest obstacle.
Express Gratitude Every Day For Even The Smallest Of Things
The expression of gratitude is often mentioned as a practice to improve well-being, and extensive research confirms that people who openly express thanks tend to experience better sleep, a happier overall mood, healthier immune systems, and even improved pain management.
Sometimes it may be challenging to come up with things we are grateful for, but it could be even the smallest of things, like being able to smell your fresh cup of coffee in the morning, the ability to sleep in a warm and safe bed, or perhaps living with someone like a family member, flatmate, significant other, or even a pet.
Gratitude allows your brain to perceive the world around you differently and learn to recognize what a truly unique and incredible experience this thing we call life is.
Keep Your Core Family And Friends Close
Another rather understated thing is to truly value the people closest to you in life and continuously realize how much they mean to you and what a significant role they have played in your well-being and journey up until now.
Express gratitude and perform acts of kindness for all your family members who are by your side today, all the friends you hold dear and who mean a lot to you, as well as any other acquaintances or memorable social interactions that have made a significant impact on who you are today.
Interactions with people, such as talking, laughing, debating, learning from each other, or engaging in activities together, are what make life worth living.
Think Before You Act
Often, our actions and behaviors may be driven by impulses and triggers. To avoid this, simply take a few seconds before you actually say or do something. It's important to realize that the way you behave and the words you speak each have their own consequences, which are worth considering in advance. For example, if I want to take action XYZ, how will this impact my life or someone else in my life?
Things will never go as smoothly as we plan them, but taking those few seconds of rational contemplation beforehand can, in the long run, save you from many conflicts, arguments, disappointments, and even strained relationships.
Don't Be Scared Of Making Mistakes
In a world that revolves around perfection and flawless living, it is easy to assume that we must avoid making mistakes at all costs to achieve that elusive "perfect" lifestyle.
Well, it turns out there is no such thing as a "perfect" life. Mistakes are simply proof that you are trying something new, challenging yourself, or stepping out of your comfort zone. The goal is not to intentionally make mistakes, but rather, firstly, to not approach them with the mentality that mistakes are inherently bad and that they define you, and secondly, to learn from those mistakes when they do happen. The process of learning and getting back up after making a mistake is much more important in defining your character than making mistakes in the first place.
So, to sum up, don't be afraid to make mistakes. Venture out, try new things, and when you do make a mistake, acknowledge that it is proof that you are trying and that a mistake does not define you. Recognize what went wrong to classify it as a mistake, learn from the experience, and move forward.
Your Attitude Is Always Your Choice
The one thing that no one can take away from you is your attitude and how you choose to respond to situations and circumstances. You may not always be able to control the circumstances and events happening around you, but your attitude is always within your control. You can intentionally choose to emerge better from a circumstance.
Small Consistent Steps Get You Far
Whenever we set long-term goals for ourselves, it can initially feel overwhelming when you consider the distance between your current self and the version of you that you want to become.
The good news is that a) you have control over reaching your desired goal, and b) you can achieve it by breaking the long journey into small, manageable daily or weekly steps that move you in that direction.
For example, if your goal is to write a book within a year, a good starting point would be to allocate some time each day or blocks of time each week to write sections of the book. This approach makes it much easier and more manageable to work towards your goals without feeling overwhelmed and without giving up before you even start. Your life is in your hands, so seize the opportunity to pursue the goals that excite you.
Put Into Practice What You Have Learnt
Sometimes we may believe that we know a lot about a certain topic or that we are highly educated on it. However, the true extent of our knowledge becomes much clearer when we put that theoretical knowledge into practice and observe how we can actively apply it in practical settings.
Furthermore, it is essential to emphasize that you should not fear making mistakes when applying your theoretical knowledge. These mistakes can reveal areas where you could improve or deepen your understanding. By putting knowledge into practice, not only does your knowledge benefit, but your self-esteem also grows as you actively demonstrate your competence to yourself.
Put In The Work For Things Which Means A Lot To You
You should have a clear understanding of the direction you're heading in and what you want to dedicate your time and energy to. Once you have these things clarified, you must be prepared to consistently invest effort and work to bring your dreams and visions into your daily life. This may require working diligently, staying up late to complete tasks, adjusting your priorities, and communicating your boundaries for time and energy with those around you.
If what you're working toward holds significant meaning for you, then making the aforementioned sacrifices and compromises will feel worthwhile. Otherwise, it's important to assess how important these goals truly are to you.
You need to develop disciplined habits and intentions, stand by your side even when no one else does, and, most importantly, keep yourself on the right track.
Learn to acknowledge when it is time to focus and put your head down to work and also learn how to take time for yourself to relax and unplug.
Every Moment Has The Opportunity To Count
Life often passes by faster than we can truly grasp, and when we are young, we often believe that we will never age and that we have endless amounts of time to play around. However, in reality, time consistently ticks by.
Realize that all the minutes and hours that make up your days, weeks, months, and years can be used for meaningful and memorable actions, making those times worth living.
You have the opportunity to make every passing moment count by choosing to intentionally spend it working on your dream project, socializing with friends and creating new memories, or allowing yourself much-needed rest and recharge time. How you choose to spend your time is a luxury for you to decide, but ensure that it is invested in things that truly matter and hold significance for you in the end.
Consider this: What do you want to share with your grandchildren when you have them? What kind of life did you lead? How do you wish to be remembered by those closest to you? You have the power to shape your own legacy, so let that inspire you.
Practice Altruistic Prosocial Behavior
Being of service or help to someone not only strengthens your relationship and trust with the other individual but also provides a natural sense of fulfillment because we are designed as social animals who interact and cooperate with others around us.
Humans are not naturally oriented toward self-sufficiency and driven solely by selfish desires. Instead, we thrive and experience our best when we engage with a community of people to interact, share experiences, and grow together. Recognize that all of us have this innate need, so don't hesitate to reach out to someone when they need help or express your need for assistance when necessary. We are inherently built for social connections, so the next time you have any social interaction, consider how you can provide more service or value to the other individual(s) and how you can contribute positively to your community or society as a whole. Genuine and deep social connections are the foundation of genuine happiness.
Keep Moving In The Right Direction
We are all constantly in some phase of our lives. Either we are already facing in the right direction and need to continue walking down this path, or we are still discovering what that right direction is for us. In the latter case, keep exploring and discovering what truly excites you and ignites your passion.
In both scenarios, it's important to remain persistent and find purpose in the daily adventures and challenges you encounter on your long-term journey of self-discovery and moving in the right direction.
Remember that in this moment and space, you are exactly where you need to be at this age.
Replace Envy With Forgiveness
Often, it is much easier to cultivate adversaries than to nurture friendly relationships in your life. However, by harboring envy and expressing negative emotions, you are not benefiting anyone, especially your own well-being.
Instead, when you experience envy or jealousy in any aspect of your life, take the time to analyze why you are feeling this way and what is causing it. Then, choose to replace that envy with acceptance and forgiveness. If your envy relates to a person, reach out to them and inquire about the source of your envy, such as how they achieved a certain position in life that you covet.
Breaking free from the cycle of envy can be challenging, but through forgiveness, gratitude, and a change in personal perspective, you can do so while granting yourself a fresh new start.
Once again, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has read my work up until now and continues to do so. I'm also thankful to anyone who has contributed to the ideas or topics that I have written about. I appreciate all the feedback and love I have received during this journey, so I am excited to continue writing in the future.
As always, please feel free to let me know if there are any specific topics you would like me to explore, and I will gladly do so.
Thank you, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day 😊.
How To Make Better Decisions
I have to be honest; one of my main weaknesses is making good decisions in a relatively short time span. Often I use several days if not a week, stressing out over the idea that I have to make a decision, and still after a week get no closer to making a final decision.
Because we all have to make decisions in our lives, wether it is the small decision of what we will have for breakfast to very important long term decisions such as what we want to study or which career we want to head into, I wanted to write this blog post, because I believe that making genuinely good decisions is actually not easy and something that we could all learn more about.
Making good decisions takes the consideration of many different facets and often also takes more time to properly think things through. For this reason, I have written and identified a list of key steps and considerations which you can go through every time you are in the process of making an important decision.
I hope that you find that list useful and that it can hopefully make it easier for you to make decisions you are proud of.
Get to know your own needs and wants
Ask yourself why you are choosing to make a choice in the first place: Why are you deciding now, what do you hope to achieve with this decision and what are its intended goals.
Identify your current goals, priorities and main values: Ask yourself if by making this decision you will support these aspects of yourself or go against them? How can you reduce conflict in this area?
Consider what would be your intuitive response to a decision: What does your intuition tell you?
Weigh the pros and cons of the decision
Take into account the consequences of the decision (The short and long term costs and benefits of the decision taken)
What is the most likely outcome of me making this decision?
What is the best and worst outcome that could happen in the near future and long term future?
Am I prepared for the outcome if things don't turn out as I expected them to?
Minimizing regret: Consider wether you will regret making this decision or saying yes/ no to a decision? This is key because sometimes we automatically say yes to everything and before we know it we are doing things which drain us instead of energize us.
Minimizing conflicts: If you think that your decision will cause someone else to have a bad response, try and put yourself into their shoes and think about how they will likely react and how you could best manage that situation.
Keeping your options and possibilities and open: This will give you breadth of the various other opportunities and perspective that exist. For this, you could also ask relevant experts or close family members / friends for advice on what they would do in your position. This doesn't mean you have to completely follow their advice, but try and understand their perspective and take from it what is useful to you.
Narrow down your choices: Often when faces with too many possibilities, we get overwhelmed and find it hard to listen to ourselves and decide on something. Because of this, try and narrow down your possibilities and keep the ones that really excite you or are really important to you.
Optimizing you decision making abilities
Take your time with the decision process if you can: Good decisions require time because a lot of thinking, strategizing and planning is involved.
Identify what time in the day you find it easiest to make decisions: Usually the time of day you experience least stress such as in the morning or during weekends.
Manage your stress levels: Don't make a impulsive decision just because you are stressed about making a decision so you go with something just for the sake of not having to decide anymore.
Keep your basics in check: Get enough sleep, stay hydrated and don't be hungry when making important decisions.
Deeper breathing: Take deeper breaths that will stimulate more oxygen to flow into your brain which can enhance your thinking and clarity of choice.
Writing down your decision making process: Writing down helps you to additionally process your thinking and put it into perspective.
I hope that wit this blog post you were able to get some refreshing and genuinely useful advice on how to make better decision in any area of your life. Good decisions making is not easy and is really something that you get better at the more decisions you make, so why not take some time to learn to how to better your decision making abilities, which is after all a very valuable skill to have.
Thank you for reading ad enjoy the rest of your day or evening.